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Trees or shrubs; indumentum of simple hairs. Buds protected by scales. Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, petiolate; palmately compound, leaflets entire, pinnately veined; stipules absent. Dioecious. Male inflorescences many-flowered, subterminal; flowers shortly pedicellate; sepals 5–8, unequal, joined at base only, imbricate; petals absent; stamens 4–12, free, inserted between lobes of fleshy central disc; anthers dorsifixed, longitudinally dehiscent; pistillode minute or absent. Female inflorescence (1–)2(–3)-flowered, subterminal; flowers long-pedicellate in fruit; sepals and petals as in male; staminodes absent; disc annular, fleshy, crenellate; ovary 2–3-celled, with 2 ovules per cell; styles connate at base, stigmas ± reniform, caducous. Fruit a tardily dehiscent capsule; outer layers ± leathery, inner layer hard, thin and brittle. Seeds 1–2 per cell, ± compressed, with a caruncle-like thickened funicle.